Arrow fletchings



Ma 19, 1959 N. B. LAY 2,887,319

ARROW FLETCHINGS r Filed Sept. so, 1953 JNVENTOR. A/ATflAN/EL B. LAX

A TTORNE Y ARROW FLETCHINGS Nathaniel B. Lay, Indianapolis, Ind.,assignor to Nat Lay, Inc., Noblesville, Ind., a corporation of IndianaApplication September 30, 1953, Serial No. 383,250

2 Claims. (Cl. 273-1065) This invention relates to fletching devices forfree flying missiles and more particularly to arrow fletchings.

It is known that when arrows or similar free flying missiles which areintended to be steadied in flight by the action of vanes at the rearwardend thereof are released from their initial propelling force, they havea tendency to yaw or weave until the guiding vanes have becomeeffective. This initial wobble or yaw, although of short duration, has amarked effect upon the accuracy and penetration of the arrow,particularly where the flight from point of release to the target isshort.

It has also been previously discovered that flexibility of arrowfletchings is very desirable. However, it has been found that when thecommonly used fletchings which are made of plastic and the like are madethin enough or soft enough to be flexible, they develop flutter duringthe flight of the arrow to which they are attached. The flutter of thevanes causes increased air resistance and shorter flight, as well asmisdirection of the arrow.

It is an object of this invention to provide an arrow fletching whichprovides maximum guiding effect so as to bring about steady flight inthe minimum period of time.

It is another object of this invention to provide an arrow fletchingwhich eliminates flutter of the vanes while permitting maximumflexibility thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide an arrow fletching whichcombines all of the fletching elements or guiding vanes to be used on anarrow in a unitary construction and which embodies the novel featureshereinafter more fully described.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the followingdisclosure.

In accordance with the above and other objects of the invention, I havediscovered that guiding vanes or fletchings which are perforated, as byholes, slots and the like, have superior properties in causing thearrows to which they are attached to assume a steady attitude of flightwithin the minimum possible time after release from their aiming and/orpropelling devices. I have further discovered that by incorporatingstiffening ribs on the fletching parallel to the line of flight of thearrow, the fletchings can be made very flexible without being subject toflutter during flight.

The following description will be directed to the use of the novelguiding vanes as arrow fletchings, but it will be obvious that their useis not limited thereto, but is of equal utility for darts, crossbowbolts and the like.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a side view of a fletching ele- United StatesPatent 2,887,319 Patented May 19, 1959 "ice Fig. 6 is a cross-sectionalview of the fletching element of Fig. 5 on line 6--6.

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of a unitary construction having threefletching units, each of which is perforated and has a longitudinallyextending stiffening rib.

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the unitary fletching constructionof Fig. 7 along the line 8-8,. showing the taper of the fletchingelements from base to edge thereof.

Referring to the drawings, fletching element 15, having base 16 forconvenient attachment to an arrow, is pierced by holes 18. In anotherembodiment of the invention, slots 20, Fig. 2, may be used. The effectof the openings or perforations is to cause the arrow to assume astraight path in the minimum distance after leaving the bow orpropelling force. An increase in accuracy and penetration is the result,particularly where the arrow is to be used at short range, as inhunting. The variation in the size, number and shape of the openingsallows the fletching element to be adapted to the particular mass,length or spine of the arrow. The openings also permit the flexibilityof the element to be increased over that of the unperforated material.

The fletching elements 15 can be combined into a unitary construction,Fig. 3, wherein vanes 15 are formed integrally with or joined to tube22, projecting radially therefrom at intervals around the circumference,Fig. 4. Tube 22 can be placed in position on the rearward end of anarrow, thereby the fletching operation is completed in a single step. Byfixing one end of tube 22 when in position on an arrow, and rotating theother end relative thereto, a uniform spiral twist can be imparted tovanes 15 whereby the arrow will be caused to spin in flight.

When an arrow is released from the bow, it must pass the archers handand the bow. When the fletching is made of stiff material, as heretoforewas common practice, the fletching in passing the hand scratched or evencut the skin. Similarly, because of the stilfness of the vanes, thearrow was commonly deflected somewhat from its course when the vanes ofthe fletching brushed the bow in passing, particularly when a novice orinexperienced archer was concerned. While a high degree of flexibilityof the guiding vanes or fletching elements is desirable, it has beenfound that vanes of high flexibility have a tendency to flutter in use,whereby there is much higher wind resistance as well as interferencewith trueflight. Ribs 24, Figs. 5, 6, which stiffen the vane in a.longitudinal direction, prevent flutter while permitting maximumflexibility in a transverse direction. In another embodiment of theinvention as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the fletching element 15 may haveone rib 24 and a tapered cross-section, whereby the base of the vanes isless. flexible and assists in preventing flutter. This feature of theinvention makes it possible to employ for fletching materials substanceshitherto regarded as too soft or flexible to be successful, as well asthose which, when perforated, would flutter due to the action of the airpressure when in flight.

Among the materials which can be used for the fabrication of the novelfletching elements, as well as the unitary fletching, are elasticsubstances such as natural and synthetic rubbers, chlorinated rubber,polyethylene, polyvinyl plastic and the like. Nonelastic materials suchas polystyrene, cellulose acetate, methyl methacrylate and theirequivalents can also be used.

It will be apparent that the description given hereinabove is purelyillustrative, and that many modifications thereof can be made withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A fletching device for arrows and the like, comprising a guiding vaneof a material normally flexible and adapted for mounting upon therearward end of an arrow shaft, and having a mounting edge and a freemargin,

said vane being pierced by multiple spaced-apart openings oversubstantially the entire area of the vane, while maintaining an unbrokenfree margin, and having a straight longitudinal stiffening rib situatedupon said vane on the side of the said openings remote from the saidmounting edge and extending longitudinally thereon and substantiallyparallel to the mounting edge for substantially the entire length of thevane at the line of attachment of the said rib and uninterrupter bythesaid openings, whereby the said vane has maximum stiffness in a planeparallel to the longitudinal axis thereof while retaining flexibility ina plane transverse to the longitudinal axis thereof, and whereby when inuse the said guiding vane causes the arrow to assume a straight flightpath within the minimum distance and without flutter of the said guidingvane.

2. A fietching device for arrows and the like, consisting of a tubularvane support adapted for mounting upon the rearward end of an arrowshaft, and multiple guiding vanes of a material normally flexibleextending radially outward from the circumference of the said supportand parallel to the long axis thereof, the said vanes having straightstiffening ribs situated thereupon at a point remote from the saidmounting means and extending thereon uninterruptedly for substantiallythe length of the said vane at the line of attachment of the said ribsand substantially parallel to the said vane support, whereby the saidvanes have maximum stiffness in a plane parallel to the longitudinalaxis thereof while retaining flexibility in a plane transverse to thelongitudinal axis thereof, and whereby in use the said guiding vanes donot flutter.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

